Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-12
BOSTON COOKING SCHOOL.
STRAWBERRY sHoRTCAKE.

Mix one pint flower, one-half teaspoon
full salt and two teaspoonfuls baking
powder together. Beat one egg and add
enough milk to make stiff dough, then
add one-quarter cup butter melted. Bake
in pie plates. Split and fill with straw
berries and cream.
Soda and cream of tartar ehould always
be sifted into the flour; baking powder is
usually so line that this need not be done,
though ii should be sifted if there is the
slightest suspicion of lumpiness. 1t is
perhaps safest to sift it in any event, as
it is sure then of being we'll mixed into
the flour.
Measure out the fourth of cup of but
ter and heat it hot, adding it last to the
mixture. Let it be very hot boiling even,
as this ensures crispness. If a mixture is
desiI ed to be ''short'' merely the butter
may be rubbed in; but in waffies and 9TH
things where crispness is required, the
butter must be hot.
About half a cup of milk was needed to
make the dough stiff, alone, pastry flour
being used.
This cake is to be split cold. If it is
necessary to split a cake when hot good
way is to "pat out" the cake in two equal
parts. Brush one over with butter, and
upper will split off very readily from the
lower. If baked in two tins too much
crust is given.
The filling is made of whipped cream,
into which a little powdered sugar is beat
en-, and strawberries. More whipped
cream may be placed on top of the cake
and around it.
A very nice snort cake can be mad of a
crust like the above, and fresh currants
mashed and sweetened with powdered
sugar. Canned currants may be used in
winter.
IMPERIAL CAKE.
Cream, half pound butter; add half
pound sugar; beat well. Then add four
eggs, 1 tablespoon lemon Juice; mix
quarter teaspoon soda with half pound
flour and add; also quarter pound raisins,
quarter pound citron and half cup
chopped almons.
A half-pound butter is a solid cup of
butter, and pound of flour is quart of
flour; half pound of sugar (granulated)
is one cup, usually. The butter may be
creamed with a spoon lii warm bowl or
with the hand; the latter is the easiest and
perhaps the best way, as the warmth of
the hand is ust about right for the process.
If a spoon is used always take one of sill
yer or of wood, as an iron spoon will dis
color the butter. All butter cakes are
made in this same way, Dreaming the but
ter, adding the sugar and eggs, yolks and
whites beaten separately, then the milk
and -four in alternate quantities. If no
milk is used add the flour in small guam
titles.
Half teaspoonful Of cream tarter may
be used instead of the lemon juice if pre-
ferred.
Use some OF the flour to flour the
raisins, which are first split and seeded.
The object of Touring fruit is to prevent its
settling in the dough. Use some of the al
monds in the dough and some to decorate
the top. 1t is fully as cheap to buy the
shelled almonds as the unshelled, as there
is awlays much waste,
The most important part in cake making
is baking. AZ the end of ten minutes the
cake should be we'll risen, but not brown.
If the oven is too hot it will brown too
quickly and crack. If there is too much
flour it will crack also. After rising well,
the next ten minutes should brown it: i.
g., the rule is ten minutes to rise and ten
to brown. Take from the oven when the
cake has shrunk away from the sides of
the pan.
If it is found that the cake is cooking
too fast, remove the top cover, or set
can of cold water in the oven.
PLAIN IoE-CREAM.
Mix one cup sugar. two scant table